Fuel-reserve-supply system



F. JER DONE, JR. FUEL RESERVE SUPPLY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1919.

Patented Sept. 13, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

\gb @ZZ/fij'old Supp/amen)? l'ae/ fan/r a V Ala/'11 fuel Tank m gsk IQNVENTOR. I Franc/s Jerdama J/r 'ATOREY F. JERDONE, JR. FUEL RESERVE SUPPLY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY31,1919.

PatentedSept. 13, 1921-.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- INVENTOR. Franc/s Jeraane Jr:

F. JERDONE, JR.

FUEL RESERVE SUPPLY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION flL ED MAY 31, I919.

PatentedSept. 13, 1921 s SHEETS-SHEET 3. 17

Franc/b 4/8/00I761/lf.

' I'ATONEY UNITED S A E FRANCIS JERDONE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLYS-OVERLAND COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. I

EU'EL-REsERVE-SUPPLY SYSTEM. r

' Application fil ed Maya prises certain novel features of construction closed.

Be it known that I, Francis- J nRnoNn, J r.,

residing at Toledo, county of Lucas, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F u'el-Reserve supply Systems, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

ply system for internal combustion engines, and has for its object to provide improved means by whicha reserve supply of fuel maybe carried in the main fuel supply tank'from which fuel is fedto the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for controlling the reserve supply of fuel in the main fuel tank, said means being arranged to automatically stop the flow of fuel from the tank when a pre-de-- termined amount has been withdrawn therefrom, and being adjustable to permit the reserve supply of fuel to be discharged from the tank and automatically released from adjusted position when a new supply of fuel is placed in the tank greater thansaidpre determined amount.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with the vacuum fuel feed system of an internal combustion engine, improved means for rendering the system ineffective when all but a predetermined amount of fuel has been consumed by the engine, said means being adjustable to permit the use of the remainder of the fuel and automatic in operation to permitthe use' of a new supply of fuel greater than said predetermined amou'nt;

Another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically stopping the flow of fuel from a tank. which is adapted I for use with either a vacuum feed system or' a gravity feed system, and which will re quire manual operation only at the jtime when the means for controlling the discharge of fuel from the tank is automatically Another object of the invention is to provide an-improved fuel control device com-' prising a number of parts which can be assembled and applied tojthe tank as a unit.

To these and other ends the invention comand arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, it'

being understoodthat the inventionis susceptible to various modified forms of 'con-v sponding parts.

Specificationjof Letters Patent. Patented Sept 13, .1921,

1919. SerialNo. 300,981.

struction not shown in the drawings, which will be' comprehended by the appended claims. 7

A structure illustrating one embodiment of my inventionis shown in the accompany- -ing drawings forming a .part of this specification, in which: My invention relates to a fuel reserve sup- Figure I is a diagrammatic view embody- 'ing one form of the invention.

III, the'fuel control valve being shown in closed position.

Fig. III is a sectional plan taken on line III-IIIof Fig. II

.Fig. IV is a detailed sectional view on line IV -IV of Fig. II.

Fig. V isa fragmentary, sectional elevation, similar to Fig. II, with the valve shown in openposition. 1

Fig. VI isa partly insection showing a slightly modified form of float rodguide. c

Fig. VII is a sectional plan taken on line VII-VII of Fig. VI. i I

Fig. VIII is a sectional elevation'of modified form of the invention.

Fig. IXtis a sectional plan'taken on line IX- IX of Fig. VIII and I V Fig. is adetailed side elevation of the valve casing shown. in Fig. VIII. j 1

Like 'reference characters thoughout the several viewsof the drawing indicate corretaken Inthe present invention I have provided fragmentary side elevation improved means for controlling a reserve 7 supply of fuel and said device may be readily used in connection with a gravity feed orvacuum feed system, in comblnation with the carbu'rete'rand manifoldof an internal combustion engine, or any other form of aspirator. The present invention .is automatic operation forclosing the outlet valve of thefuel tankand for release from a manually-adjusted open position when the I fuel is increased or decreased abovea certain point within said tank. J

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents an internal combustion engine such asis used 1 on motor vehicles. A vacuum feed tank 11 is connected with the manifold 12 of the engine by. means of a conduit 13 and the carburet'er'l l of the engine is connected with said vacuum tank'by means of ,a conduit 15,

while the main fuel supply tank 16 is connected with said vacuum tank by means of a conduit 17 as shown in Fig. I. The upper wall of the tank 16 is provided with an opening 18 protected by a cover plate 19, which is preferably threaded to receive the casing 20 provided with the screw cap 21, as shown in Fig. II. Extending from a point adjacent the screw cap 21 downwardly through the bottom wall of the casing 20 is a tube 22 and a short coupling 23 is extended through the'screw cap 21 and threaded into the upper end of said tube 22, said coupling being connected with the conduit 17 by means of the fitting 24. The tube 22 adjacent the bottom of the tank is provided with a right angle portion 25 closed at its outer end bymeans of a screw 26, which also serves to support the bracket 27, in which is slidably mounted a valve stem 28 provided with a. valve 29 for controlling the fuel inlet opening 30 in the right angle portion 25 of said tube, The valve stem 28 is suitably connected 'witha rod 31 preferably by means of ashort coupling 32, said rod being extended through a float 33 and provided with the removable pins 34 and 35, which serve to hold the float against longitudinal movement upon said rod. The upper end of the rod is extended through the bottom of the casing 20 and its extremity bent to form a right angle portion 36 having a downwardly extending portion 37 adapted to extend into the recess 38 in the holder 39, which is rigidly connected with a shaft 40 having its opposite ends journaled in the side walls of thecasing 20 as shown in Fig. III. A nut 41 is provided on one end of the shaft 40 and a handle 42 on the opposite end whereby the shaft 40 is rotated to move the holder 39 from the posi-' tion shown in Fig. II to that shownin Fig. V, when it is desired to elevate the rod for the purpose of opening the valve 29, it being understood that the valve will automatically close the inlet opening 30 in the bent portion 25 of the tube 22when the fuel in the tank has been reduced to a predetermined level, which may be varied by regulating the position of the float 33 upon the rod 31. A coiled spring 43 is wound upon the shaft 40 and has one end suitably connected with the cam orholder 39 and the other with the casing20, as shown in Fig. III. The cam 39 is preferably substantially elliptical in form and is eccentrically mounted on the shaft 40 so that when the latter is rotated by means of the handle 42, the downwardly extending portion 37 at the upper end of the rod 31 will be'engaged thereby to lift the valve 29 from the position shown in Fig. II, to that shown in Fig. V. Then the cam has been rotated far enough to bring the recess 38 into registering relation with said downwardly turned portion 37 of the rod, said portion will drop into said recess,

and will thus prevent the return of the valve to closed position and also the return of the cam to normal position. A stop 44 on the bottom of the casing 20 engages a projection 45 on thecam at the proper time and serves to limit the movement of the cam when rotated to efiect the opening of the valve. It will be seen from the drawing that the stop 44 serves to limit the movement of the cam and in a direction to prevent its rotation through an angle greater than 90 although this anglemay be made greater or less if desired. As soon as a new supply'of fuel is placed in the tank greater than the predetermined amount the float 33 will elevate the rod 31 and move the downwardly extending portion 37 thereof out of the recess 38 of the cam and the latter will then be automatically returned'to normal position the torsion spring 43 wound'upon the shaft 40 asshown in Fig. III. V I

In the structure shown in Figs. VI and VII, a modified form of float rod guide has been providedicomprising a clampj46 held upon the tube 22 by means of a bolt 47, the outer end of -the parallel portions of said clampbeing provided with semicircular portions 48 between which the valve stem is free to move up and down when the float is raised or lowered to effect the opening or closing of the valve 29. In order to prevent rotation of the rod 31 in this modification I have provided upon the valve stem a laterally projecting pin 49 which is adapted to slide between-the, extremities of the semicircular portions 48 of the clamp 46 whereby rotation of the rod and consequently dis placement of the cam engaging portion 37 thereof is prevented, the bent portion 25 of the tube in this case being closed'at its outer end' by means of a screw plug 50 as shown in Fig. VI.

By disconnecting the union'51 0n the conduit 17- the casing 20 maybe unscrewed from the plate 19 to permit the removal of the device as a unit from the tank 16, the opening in the plate 19 beinglarge enough to permit the passage therethrough of the tube 22 and float 33 when in assembled position.

In the-modification shown in Figs. VIII to X inclusive, I have provided in the bottom wall of thetank 52 an opening'53 protected by a cover plate 54 which is preferably threaded-to receive the casing 55 closed at its upper end by the wall 56 and at its lower end by the screw cap 57, having the downwardly extending portion 58 adapted for connection to a suitable conduit and provided with thevalve 59 for controlling the passageway 60 through said portion 58 as shown in Fig; VIII. The top 56 of the casing 55 is provided with an inlet aperture 61 arranged to be closed by the valve 62 on the sleeve 63 carrying'the float 64, said sleeve being guided by thesuction tube 65 extending downwardly therethrough preferably to a point within the valve when the latter is closed, said suction tube being extended through a bushing 66 screwed into the top of the tank, the suction tube being connected with the conduit 17 in any suitable manner.

The valve 62 is provided with adownwardly extending loop'67 which is provided with an extension 68 adapted to ride upon the cam 69, fixed upon the shaft 70, when the latter is rotated until said extension drops into' the recess 7l of the cam in which position it 1 remains until it is automatically withdrawn I 7 wall of the casing 55 as shown in Fig. 9.

escape of liquid ,through said plug.

The opposite end of the shaft is provided with a tapered portion 74: journaled in the end of a screw plug 7 5 extending through the wall of the casing 55, said taper-ed portion 74 having a reduced-extension 7 6 extending to the outside of the screw plug and provided with a handle 77 by which the shaft is rotated to operate the cam 69. A torsion spring 7 8 is wound upon the shaft 70 on one side of the cam and has one end anchored upon the shaft aS indicated at 7 9 and the other upon the plug 74 as indicated at in. Fig. IX. The spring 78 serves to return the cam to normal position when the floatis elevated high enough to withdraw the extension 68 from the recess 71 of the cam. A stop 81 engages a projection 82 on the cam to hold the latter in normal position as'shown in Fig. VIII, said stop also servingto limit the rotation of the cam when moved into positionto open thevalve'62. The spring 78 also serves to hold the tapered portion 74 of the shaft 70 in engagement with its seat in the plug 75 to prevent Tthe he plugs 74 and 75 both are tightly screwed into the wall vofthe casing in such a manner as to form liquid tight joints therewith. [It will be understood that the valve 62 is limited in its upward movement by. the lower end of the loop 67 when the latter comes in contact with the bottom of the suction tube 65 extending into the sleeve 63'as shown in Fig. VIII. The apparatus shown in Fig.

VIII may be readily converted into a gravity feed device by. opening the valve 59 or into a suction'controlled devlceby closing said valve. In the former case the conduit 17 can be removed and the end of the suctionpipe 65"closed by a suitable screw plug. In

using the apparatus as a gravity feed'device I claim as new and the buoyancy of-the float in the tank until the fuel therein is reduced to a p're'deter mined amount, at which time said valve willautomatically closethe fuel passageway and prevent'further' discharge of fuel from the tank'. When the valve has been closed in this manner the cam is rotated to effect the raising of the float and; the consequent setting of the 'valve'inopen position in order that the reserve supply of fuel in the tank may be consumed by the engine. WVhen a new supply of fuel is placed in the tank greater'than the reserve supply the float will be raised and the cam "or holding member for supporting the'valve in open position will be released to permit the return of the valve to closed position when all but the reserve supply of fuel has again been consumed by the engine. I

Having thus described my invention, what desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted to be'connected with afuel supply tank, a tube connected-with'said casing and adapted to beextended into the tank, a float controlled valve adapted to automatically close said tube when the fuel in the tank is reduced to a predetermined amount,

and means rotatable in said casing to effect the opening of the valve, said means being arranged to automatically return to normal position when the fuel in the tank is increased above said pre-determined amount.

2. A. fuel control device, comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank, a su-ction 'conduit connected with the tank, a float controlled valve adapted to v automatically close said conduit when the fuelin the tank is-reduced to a pre-determined amount, a member for lifting said valve and means adjustable in said casing to raise, said. lifting member, said means being arranged to automatically release said liftin g member. and to returnto normal position when the fuelin the tank is increased above said pre-determined amount. I 3. A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted'to be connected'with a fuel sup ply tank, 5 a suction conduit extending through said casing and into said tank, a float controlled valve for said conduit'adapt ed to automatically close the same when the fuel in the tank'is reduced to a pre-determined amount, a member connected with the valve, and an adjustable member in said casing adapted to actuate said last mentioned member for-the purpose of opening said valve, said adjustable member beingadapted to automatically return to normal position said casing movable to set said valve in open position, said means being adapted to be automatically released and returned to normal position when the fuel in the tank is increased above said pre-determined amount. 5. A fuel controldevice comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel sup-. ply tank, a conduit extended into the tank,

- said conduitbeing provided with a laterally extending portion within the tank, a guide mounted upon said conduit, a valve having a valve stem extending into said casing, and slidably mounted upon said guide, said valve being adapted to automatically close a'fuel passageway in said laterally extending portion when the fuel in the tank is reduced to a predetermined amount, a float connected with said valve stem, a rotatable member mounted in said casing adapted to lift said stem, an operating member for said rotatable member, and means for limiting the movement of said operating member.

6. A fuel. control device comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank, a conduit extended into the tank, said conduit being provided with a fuel inlet opening adjacent its lower end, a float controlled valve for said opening, a member connected with said float controlled valve and adapted to extend upwardly into said casing, a shaft journaled in the casing, a holder upon said shaft adapted to lift and support said last mentioned member and to be automatically released therefrom when the fuel in the tank is increased above a predetermined amount, an operating member for said shaft and means adapted to return said holder to normal position when released.

7 A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank, a suction conduit extended into the tank, said conduit being provided with a laterally extending portion within the tank, a bracket mounted upon said conduit, a float controlled valve having a stem slidably mounted upon said bracket and extending into said casing, said valve being adapted to control a fuel inlet opening in the laterally extending portion of said conduit, a shaft journaled in the casing, 25 member fixed upon said shaft in position to lift said stem when the shaft is rotated, a handle for operating said shaft, a stop for limiting the movement of said member, and. a spring adapted to automatically return saidmemher to normal position when the fuel in the tank is increased above a predetermined amount.

8. A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank, a conduit adapted to extend into said tank, said conduit being provided with a bent portion at its inner end, having a fuel inlet opening, a screw plug in the end of said bent portion, a bracket secured upon said bent portion by means of said screw plug, a valve stem vextending through said bracket and having a valve for controlling said inlet opening, a rod removably connected with said valve stem and extending upwardly into said casing, the upper extrem-v ity of said rod being provided with a bent portion having a down-turned end, a float upon said rod, a shaft journaled in said casing, a cam mounted upon said shaft in the path of said downturned portion, a handle for operating said shaft for the purpose of rotating the cam to elevate said rod, a stop for limiting the movement of said cam and a spring wound upon said shaft and adapted to return said cam to normal position when the float is elevated in the tank above a pre-determined point to cause said down-turned portion of the rod to disengage said cam.

9. A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank, a removable cover upon said casing, a conduit within the tank extending into said casing through the bottom wall thereof, a pipe connected with said conduit through said cover, a float operated valve for controlling a fuel inlet provided in said conduit adjacent the bottom thereof, a rod connected with said float extending upwardly through the'bottom wall of said casing and having its upper end provided with a down-turned bent portion, a member rotatably mounted in said casing in the path of said down-turned portion, means for rotating said member for the purpose of lifting said rod to open said valve when closed, and means for automatically returning said rotatably mounted member to normal position when the'rod is elevated above said position by movement of said float when the fuel in the tank is increased above a predetermined amount.

10. A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted to beconnected with the bottom wall of a tank and having a fuel inlet opening therein communicating with said tank, a valve for closing said opening provided with a member adapted to extend downwardly into said casing, a float supported upon said valve within the tank, a guide for saidvalve adapted: to limit the upward movement of the same, a lifting member for the valve rotatably mounted in lifting member to effect the lifting of said valve when closed, means for returning said lifting member to normal position when the valve is lifted above a predetermined point by upward .movement of the float, and means for conveying the fuel from said casing. 4 g a 11. A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank, said casing being provided with a fuel inlet opening communicating with said tank, a float mounted insaid tank provided with a valve adapted to control said inlet opening, and a member rotatable in said casing and adapted to efi'ectthe opening of said valve when closed, said member being adapted to automatically return to normal position when the valve is elevated above a pre-determined point by movement of the float. I V

12. A fuel control device,- comprising a casing adapted to be connected with,,a fuel tank and having a fuel inlet opening communicating with said tank, a tube extending 1 into said tank to a point adjacent the bot tom thereof, a sleeve mounted upon said tube, a float carried by said sleeve, a valve upon said sleeve adapted to close said inlet opening when the fuel in the tank is reduced to a predetermined amount, said valve when closed being adapted to cut off communication betweenfthe tube and tank, a member extending downwardly from the valve into said casing and operating means adapted to engage said downwardly extending member for the purpose of moving said valve to open position, said operating means being adapted to automatically return to normal position when the valve is elevated above a pre-determined point by the action of the fuel upon the float within said tank.

13. A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel tank and having a fuel outlet passageway therein, said casing having an inlet opening arranged to communicate with said tank, aguide within said tank, a member slidably mounted upon said guide, a float carried by said member, a valve upon the lower end of said member adapted to automatically close said inlet opening when'the fuel in the tank is reduced to a pre-determined amount, and means within the casing for moving said valve to open position, said means being adapted to automatically return to normal position when the valve is elevated above a predetermined point by movement of the float when the fuel in the tank is increased above said predetermined amount.

14. A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank, said casing being provided with an outlet passageway andwith a fuel inlet 0 enin icommunicatin with said tank v b i 7 said shaft and said casing, a recessed member upon said shaft beneath said downwardly' extending member in positionto .en gage and ralse the same when the shaft is rotated, said downwardly extendingmember being adapted to project into the recess when said shaft is rotated a pre-determined amount, and means adapted to return" said recessed member and shaft to normal position when said downwardly extending member is moved out of said recess. I

, 1 5. A fuel control devicecomprising a casing adapted to be connectedwith a fuel connection. upon the bottomIof-the casing having a fuel outletflpassageway therein,

means for opening andclosing said passage- .a guide withinsaid tank, a member slidably way, a plug in the sidewall ofthe 'said'cas lng having a tapered seat formed upon its engagingsaid seatprovided with, a reduced portion extendingthrough said plug and carrying an operating handle, a plug upon the casing for the opposite end ofsaid shaft inner end, a shaft having, a tapered'portion 1 in which it is journaled, a recessed member upon said shaft, 'a float controlled valve for said fuel inlet opening, a stem projecting from said valve into said casing invthe path of said recessed member and adapted to be elevated by the latter when rotated and to drop within said recess when the shaft is rotated a pre-determined amount and a spring wound upon said shaft adapted" to 'hold the tapered portion thereof upon itsseat and'to automatically return the shaft to normal position when the valve and stem are elevated above a pre-determined point by the float within said tank.

16. A fuel control device comprising, a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank and having a fuel outlet opening and an inlet opening communicating matically released when a supply of-liquid is placed in the tank greater than'said predetermined amount, said setting means being automatically returned to normal position when released.

17. The combination with a fuel supply tank and an aspirator, of a receptacle connected'with said tank having a passageway communicating therewith, means adapted to automatically close said passageway when the fuel inthe tank reaches a predetermined level, whereby communication between the aspirator and tank is discontinued, setting means within the receptacle for actuating said last mentioned means to open said pas sageway and to maintain it open until the fuel in thetank is increased above said predetermined point, at which time said setting means is released and automatically returned to normal posltion and means for operating said setting means through the wall of said receptacle.

18. A fuel control device comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank, a discharge pipe projecting into the tank and provided with an inlet opening, a valve arrangedto automatically prevent fuel entering said opening directly from the tank when the fuel therein falls below a predetermined level, and operating means rotatable within the casing to set the valve in position toplace the pipe in communication with the tank from which position said valve is automatically released when the tank is refilled to a point above a predetermined level;

19'. A fuel' control device comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a fuel supply tank, a tube provided with a fuel inlet opening communicating with saidtank,

a float controlled valve adapted to prevent the passage of fuel fromthe tank through said openingwhen the fuel falls below a predetermined level, a member by which said valve isadapted to be moved to place said tube in communication with the tank, and a rotatable member within the casing for actuating said last mentioned member.

' 20. 'A' fuel control system comprising a fuel tank having anoutlet passageway, afloat controlled'valve adapted to automatically close said passageway when the fuel is reduced to a predetermined level within the.

tank, a rod connected with the valve and a movable actuating member for the rod having an inclined portion adapted to move in 21. A fuel control system comprising a fuel tank having-an outlet passageway, a float controlled valve adapted to auto engagement with the rod to lift the same for the purpose of opening the valve.

inclined portion upon which the upstanding member is adapted to travel whereby the valve is moved to and retained in open position, and from which it'is automatically released when the tank'isrefilled to a point 7 above said predetermined level.

In testimony whereof I afi'iX' my signature.

.raanors JE noNE, JR. 

